Omid (hope) library in Esfarayen

Maryam Shojaei is a volunteer reading promoter collaborating with the “Read with Me” project at North Khorasan Province and Esfarayen city.

In 2020, knowing the Read with Me project by attending the workshops of the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature on amoozak website, she joined this team.

She started her job as a promoter, after purchasing some books and joining “One Promoter, One Book Package” campaign, since March 2020.

In order to read books, she would visit care centers for orphaned and neglected children in Esfarayen and Shirvan.

Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of pandemic, the possibility of going to these centers became strictly limited.

Therefore, by the cooperation of Imam Hassan’s Orphanage, omid library (in persian omid means hope) was opened in this center so that children can access the books constantly.

Wall-mounted Cloth Book Holders were also sent to other centers so that the children of those centers would also be able to access the resources of the library.

In cooperation with children living in this center, Omid library was launched in September.

‘It all started with a conversation with Mehraveh about the Read with Me project,’ says Maryam Shojaei.

‘Then, participating in the interesting workshops of the the Institute for Research on the History of Children’s Literature, practicing with my own child, and reading with two hospitalized orphans on a cold night.

At this time I felt the magic of the story and got fascinated by the bright sparkle in children’s eyes.’

‘After passing the mountain roads and reaching Imam Reza Paradise charity organization, my job continued with weekly reports and attending the campaign of One Promoter, One Book Package.

Having seen Aria’s paired shoes next to mine after reading the “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed“ as well as Sajad’s dream of visiting China after reading “Frog and the Stranger” I went on with reading a book once a week, playing and roleplaying with the children of three centers in Shirvan and  Esfarayen.’

‘I have seen it with my own eyes that stories do give life, survive and heal.’